These terrific books for teens may be of interest to adults as well. In case you missed it we had a list of AAPI books for adults earlier this month as well.
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen A Chinese American teen is sent to the infamous “Loveboat” in Taiwan for the summer. She discovers Taipei nightlife, hookups &freedom.
Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach After losing the editor’s job of the school newspaper, a Chinese American teen starts a feminist movement amid growing tensions.
How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao A thriller about four Asian teens, all juniors at a Manhattan Prep school, who are forced to confront secrets after one of their closest friends is found dead.
Internment by Samira Ahmed A terrifying, futuristic U.S. where Muslim-Americans are forced into internment camps, and 17-year-old Layla must lead a revolution against complicit silence.
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee In Atlanta, 1890, a 17-year-old Chinese girl works as a lady’s maid for a cruel and wealthy Southern woman. By night, she writes a newspaper advice column for Southern ladies.
All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Courtney A 16-year-old Muslim girl struggles to claim her Muslim heritage, while finding her place as an American teen.
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean After learning that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, an 18-year-old travels to Tokyo and discovers that Japanese imperial life is a tough fit for a teen from northern CA.
Check out a variety of terrific adult fiction and nonfiction books for AAPI Heritage Month available as ebooks from eLibraryNJ, eBCCLS, and Hoopla. Also available in print from BCCLS libraries.
Adult Fiction Interior Chinatown Charles Yu A deeply personal story about race, pop culture, assimilation, and escaping the roles we are forced to play. Willis Wu discovers the secret history of Chinatown & the buried legacy of his own family.
Win Me Something Kyle Lucia Wu A nuanced coming-of age debut story about a biracial Chinese American woman in NJ who asks what it really means to belong and how she might begin to define her own life.
The Verifiers Jane Pek A young Chinese American woman is hired by a detective agency to verify people’s online dating personas. But when a client turns up dead, she investigates.
My Year Abroad Chang-Rae Lee An entertaining story of a young American whose life is transformed when a Chinese American businessman suddenly takes him under his wing on an adventure across Asia.
A Song Everlasting Ha Jin A timely story that follows a famous Chinese singer severed from his country as he tries to find his way in the U.S. and reclaim his ethnic identity and maintain his art.
Homeland Elegies Ayad Akhtar A Muslim-American family struggles to survive in the U.S. following the tragedy of 9/11. The compelling story takes us from palatial suites in Europe to guerilla lookouts in the Afghan mountains.
Pachinko Min Jin Lee A saga that follows a Korean family from the 1900s through 8 decades & 4 generations. A Korean girl’s unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame her family so she leaves Korea starting a chain of events.
Searching for Sylvie Lee Jean Kwok A drama untangling the complicated ties that bind two Chinese sisters and their mother as the eldest daughter disappears and family secrets emerge.
Adult Non-Fiction Rise: A Pop History of Asian America From the Nineties to Now Jeff Yang A mass media and pop culture tribute to Asian Americans. This vivid scrapbook focuses on voices, emotions and memories from an era in which Asian culture was transformed.
On Monday, May 23 at 6:00 pm, join us for a special AAPI Book Club discussing “Rise” led by Jennie Pu, Hoboken Public Library Director in the Small Programming Room (lower level, 500 Park Ave, Main Branch). See the HPL calendar for other great AAPI Heritage Month events!
Crying in the H Mart Michelle Zauner A powerful memoir from the indie rock star of Japanese Breakfast fame about growing up Korean-American, losing her mother & finding herself.
The Groom Will Keep His Name Matt Ortile A collection of tender essays on sex, dating, and identity from a gay Filipino immigrant learning to navigate race, resistance, and romance in America.
This is What America Looks Like Ilhman Omar An intimate memoir by the first African refugee, first Somali-American, & one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
Facing the Mountain Daniel James Brown A true story of the Japanese-American heroes in WWII. Interviews with the families of 4 soldiers who were part of the Japanese-American Army unit that overcame brutal odds in Europe.
Flying Free Cecilia Rodriguez Aragon The compelling story of how Filipino Cecilia Aragon broke barriers and became the first female Latino pilot on the U.S. Aerobatic Team.
Book List Adapted from 2022 AAPI Heritage Month Brochure created by: Ethan Galvin Information and Digital Services Librarian
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 